The social impact of 1:1 Concerts in Australia

Abstract

How we need music has been made profoundly clear over these last months. Balcony concerts, online lessons and home recordings prove that what is essential, adapts to survive. Performing musicians exiled from concert halls due to social distancing policies have found new performance spaces that defy the corona crisis. Consequently, the 1:1 CONCERTS have flourished, inspired by the work of performance artist Marina Abramović's "Listening differently". The format involves one musician and one listener at a 2-metre distance, sharing a 10 minute nonverbal musical encounter that incorporates a minute's eye contact with each other. The concert is facilitated by a host acting as the conduit between the listener and musician. In Australia 456 1:1 Concerts have taken place in 7 cities since mid 2019, in a variety of non-traditional concert venues, including the Australian bush, a painter's kitchen and next to the Adelaide Oval Score board.